May 20, 2011 No. 14/11-G CDB Offering Workshop Series onComputerised Job Estimation Tool for ARTISANS AND Small Contractors The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) is helping to enhance the competitiveness of small contractors and artisans in its borrowing member countries. Two of the Bank's specialised agencies - the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) and the Caribbean Technological Consultancy Services Network (CTCS) - are teaming up to host a workshop series entitled, "Computerised Job Estimation Tool (CJET) for Artisans and Small Contractors". These workshops, which run over the period April to July, 2011, are being held in seven of the participating borrowing member countries, namely Belize, Dominica, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Contractors and artisans are critical stakeholders to the BNTF. The efficiency of the Infrastructure Programme depends to a large degree on the knowledge, skill and management capabilities of contractors. The sustainability of the results depends on the commitment of the implementing team, including contractors, to compliance factors and many other emerging issues related to the Region's response to international agreements on climate change and disaster risk; responsive design considerations to natural and man-made hazards; adequacy of working conditions for men and women and complementary concerns on inclusiveness. The Bank's experience in working with artisans and small contractors, however, has consistently shown that an area of weakness is their inability to accurately and reliably prepare estimates for jobs. In an effort to enhance the competiveness of these artisans and small contractors, the BNTF will disseminate the simple but effective CJET which was developed by the CTCS. The tool allows computation of the finite cost of a project. The user can manipulate the quality of the bid, see the impact of a given bid ratio/bid rate on the overall line cost of bill items and project earnings in excess of each line cost, while maintaining the option to spread projected line losses over other items comprising the bill of quantities. The workshops will also include sessions on ‘Environmental and Gender Equality Cost Considerations', and ‘Management Concepts' and will promote networking among the participants as the first phase in the establishment of a BNTF Community of Practice.